Without You
by venusnv80
Summary: Bonnie Bennett has settled into her new life following Damon's desiccation, but the hurt and disappointment still haunts her. What happens when he shows up when she least expects it? This story is a twist on the rest of Season 7 following 'I Would For You'.


**So usually I like to finish one story before starting another, but this came to me and I couldn't let it go. It takes place after 7X15. It's a twist on what happened after Damon desiccated and was reawakened by Stefan.**

 **The first chapter is short, but let me know what you think.**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

Ch. 1

"Auntie Bonnie, where do babies come from?" Lizzie Saltzman asked as she placed her spoon of vanilla ice cream in her mouth.

Bonnie started choking on her glass of iced tea as Josie Saltzman chimed it after swallowing her chocolate ice cream, "Yes, Auntie Bonnie, where _do_ babies come from?"

Bonnie looked over at Caroline and Alaric's twin girls and blinked a few times. How does one answer this question? And for the fifth time that night, she regretted volunteering to watch the twins while Caroline and Alaric went out on a date.

"Umm…how about some more ice cream?" Bonnie asked as the twins grinned and she got up to get the ice cream out of the freezer.

She sighed. For the past three years, she felt as if she had lived in an alternate world. After being marked by the huntress, Stefan had taken off leaving Caroline as soon as the twins were born. Soon after, Caroline went to Texas with Alaric—but returned a year later and they settled into a townhouse. Bonnie had moved in for the simple fact that she just wanted to be closer to Caroline. It worked out because both Caroline and Alaric were overwhelmed with two toddlers, so Bonnie was happy to help. The girls were cute, smart and a little mischievous. Bonnie was convinced that they would develop powers one day, but she kept that speculation to herself—Alaric was kind of anti-supernatural powers for his girls, so Bonnie allowed him to live in denial. Overall, she loved the atypical family that they developed. She was the cool Aunt Bonnie, who let the girls eat ice cream close to their bedtime and made funny faces at them when they were supposed to listening to their father tell them about his day. They were always so happy and excited to see her when she came home from classes or from her part time job as a teacher's assistant at the University. It made her feel like she belonged somewhere again.

After leaving Damon in that storage container in Brooklyn, she felt lonely and a little lost. She hated that she felt that way, but she did. Somewhere along the line, Damon became one of the most important people in her life and when he decided to desiccate himself because he couldn't _bear_ to be away from Elena any longer—she was hurt and angry. Every time she thought about him, she got a bad taste in her mouth and she wished that she could forget out him. There were times when she almost could forget about him, but then something would remind her of him—bourbon, an actor on television with crystal blue eyes, the Armani store…it brought her back to their friendship and her feelings for him. The feelings that she had buried deep and would never revisit. She had no reason to. By the time Damon awakened from his desiccation, she would be dead.

Bonnie slammed the freezer door at the mere memory of Damon Salvatore causing the twins to look up at her, "Auntie Bonnie, what's wrong?" Lizzie asked with concerned eyes.

Bonnie recovered from her Damon thoughts and smiled, "Nothing Lizzie…Auntie Bonnie just needs extra ice cream".

"Ice cream always makes me happy", Josie grinned.

Bonnie nodded as she spooned ice cream in the girls' bowls and they started humming a tune as they spooned ice cream in their mouths. Bonnie sat down at the table and picked up her phone. She had a text from another teacher's assistant, Brian. He was cute in a Chris Hemsworth kind of way. He asked her out a couple of days ago and she hadn't given him an answer yet. It wasn't like she was living the life of a nun; she went out a couple of times—but she just found herself being bored or disinterested in whatever her dates had to say. Since Stefan and Damon left, things had died down. She wasn't sure if it was a coincidence or not. The Armory had all but evaporated and Enzo had disappeared. The quietness of Mystic Falls freaked Bonnie out a little, but when she looked over at the twins and their carefree life—she was glad that they knew a quiet Mystic Falls.

"Auntie Bonnie, can we watch Minions?" Josie asked as she dropped her spoon in the bowl.

"I don't know…", Bonnie smirked, "have you two been good girls?"

"Mmm, hmm…we've been good girls!" Lizzie nodded her head enthusiastically.

"Really?" Bonnie raised an eyebrow.

"Yessss...Auntie Bonnie, so can we pweassseeee watch Minions?" Josie clasped her hands together.

"Oook…", Bonnie relented, "go into the family room while I clean up in here ok?"

"Yeaaaaa", Josie and Lizzie cheered as they jumped down from the table and ran out of the kitchen.

Bonnie chuckled as she picked up their bowls and placed them in the sink. As she turned to leave the kitchen, she felt something come over her. It stopped her in her tracks for a few moments, but then she recovered, "That was weird", she mumbled as she walked out of the kitchen and started down the hallway. When she turned the corner towards the family room, she noticed the twins standing side by side in the hallway staring at something.

"Josie…Lizzie…what's going…", she began and then looked up at the open front door.

There he stood, dressed in a black t-shirt and jeans and he was staring at her intently with those blue eyes. "Bon…", he breathed out staring at her almost as if he didn't expect her to be there.

Bonnie's mouth set in a line as she felt her body react to him just saying her name and it instantly made her angry as she stared back at him.

"Auntie Bonnie…?" Lizzie asked looking up at her, "who's that?" Lizzie pointed at him.

Bonnie broke her gaze and looked down at Lizzie and Josie's confused faces. She knelt down, "Hey…", she smiled, "why don't you two head upstairs to your bedroom and you can watch the Minions on your iPads".

"Yay!" Josie and Lizzie clapped as if they momentarily forgot about the stranger at the door as they rushed up the stairs.

Bonnie stood up slowly as he watched her. If she looked hard enough, she could see the surprise and also the relief in his eyes to see her—but she chose to ignore that.

"Bon…Bonnie, I didn't know you would be here…", he choked out.

She walked slowly to the door as she took in the sight of him. There was a time when seeing him could put a smile on her face and now, it took every fiber of her being not to set him on fire.

He watched her as she walked over to the door, "I just need you to invite me in".

Bonnie stopped in front of the door, smiled wryly and placed her hand on the door.

"Bon, I know…", he began, but didn't get to finish as the door slammed in his face sending a gust of wind his way.

Bonnie saw him through the glass windows standing in front of the door, but she didn't care. He could stay out there on the steps for all she cared. She started up the steps, but then she heard the knocking.

"Bonnie, come on…let me in", he called through the door, "I know that I am the last person you want to see, but come on…it's important".

She stood on the steps gripping onto the bannister as she closed her eyes.

"Bonnie, I know you're angry at me but please…can you…can you just open up the door?" he called to her.

She bit her lip as she felt the tears pool in her eyes and he knocked again, "Bonnie, please open the door. I need you".

As soon as the words left his mouth Bonnie's eyes shot open and she whispered, "I don't need _you_ " and continued up the stairs as Damon continued to knock and call her name through the door.

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